Guardian Princess
by Mushroom of the Darkness
Summary: Cursed to guard the sacred jewel the Shikon no Tama for eternity. Kagome lives in a hidden valley alone until a group of jewel seekers come and turn her life upside down. No definite pairing's yet.
1. Chapter 1 Guardian of the Jewel

_Hey I just wanted to say before I got started that this is my first fic, and I hope it's pretty good.  Feel free to review, positive and negative comments appreciated.  Oh yeah before I forget.  Hey Princess how are you this morning?  LOL.  _ _Forbidden Elf_ _disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. *tear*  I wish I did.  But I don't though, Rumiko Takahashi does, he's all hers.  *tear*  *sob*  *smile*  Oh well at least he's in good hands.  We can't always get what we want._

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Guardian Princess By Forbidden Elf 

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Chapter 1: Guardian of the Jewel 

A young girl sat on a rock ledge overlooking a small valley far beneath her.  She stared up at the moon where it hung a small crescent in the late night sky, barely visible among the high peaks surrounding the valley completely.  A place completely isolated from the rest of the world, with only one entrance through a labyrinth of caves.  A soft sigh escaped her lips as she looked down at the ground before her, then at the dark lake that rested at the foot of the peak she called home.  

Her name was Kagome, the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, a powerful miko cursed to forever protect the jewel.  She would neither age nor die, staying in the form of a 15 year old girl for eternity.  She lived in the valley hiding from the world.  It had been years since the last seeker of the jewel, and she dreaded having to slay another living being.  In her mind her hands were eternally stained with blood.  

Her sleep was troubled with visions of all those she had had to kill in protection of the jewel.  And it normally resulted in her climbing up here to sit and think.  Her thoughts as they usually did drifted to a youkai that had once come to the valley, and her lips twisted into a smile full of pain and betrayal.  He had come to her late one night seriously wounded, even for a youkai, and had collapsed into her arms.  He was a handsome inu-youkai named Inutaisho, she had grown to trust, even love him.  He had lain near death for many weeks, then after he'd healed he began staying of his own will, treating her with care she hadn't had for thousands of years and giving her the companionship she had longed for more than anything else.  

Then one night she had woken to him trying to kill her and steal the Shikon no Tama.  Her trust betrayed and forced to fight for her own life as well as protect the jewel she had shot him with a purifying arrow.  He fled for his life into the lands to the west.  Fearing a repeat of that incident she swore to herself never to let there be the chance of it re-occurring.  From then on she killed on sight anyone who entered the valley.  But it got lonely being the only one here, the wild animals not very good companionship.  

She knew her duty though, and knew that loneliness was one of the things she had been warned to expect.  She sighed, yes they had warned her, and she had expected it, but not for so long.  When would the one destined to destroy the jewel arrive?  She was tired of waiting, and wished nothing more than the chance to live a normal life, and to leave this earth forever.

Kagome stood stretching as the sun slowly appeared above the mountain peaks.  Taking a running jump she leapt off the ledge into mid air then into the water far below, making a graceful flip mid fall.  Diving deep beneath the water's surface she opened her eyes searching for the dark hole leading up into her caves inside the hollow peak.  The tunnel was dark and she had to trust in the water to lead her the right way.  

With a splash she broke the surface of a pool inside a huge cavern, illuminated by the morning sun through an entrance lower from where she had been perched on the cliff face.  After pulling herself out of the pool, she shook herself, sending water flying through the air.  Her long black hair down to the back of her knee's, her blue eyes bright as she watched the sun finish rising, loving the reds and purples it created as it ascended into the sky.  

Turning sadly from the sight she walked to another cave attached to the main one, pushing aside the heavy fur curtain.  Inside she walked over to several stone containers that sat on the floor along all the rooms walls.  Frowning she peered inside them.  Her frown becoming more pronounced as she found two of them only half full of dried nuts, and green's.  "I feel like a squirrel collecting nuts," she murmured to herself as she picked up the trowel and bag by the door.  

She then walked towards the cave entrance putting the bag and trowel down as she stretched preparing for a long days work.  As she turned to get down her bow and arrows from their place hung on the wall she noticed that she was shivering.  

Shaking her head in sorrow about the loss of summer heat, despite the promise of winter snow.  Now she would have to begin collecting wood as well as finish collecting food.  Putting the bow and arrows down next to the bag, she walked back into the main part of the cave, walking to another room covered by a fur curtain.  

Pushing it aside she entered, going straight to a wooden box taking out a thick black vest that reached to mid calf, also taking out a pair of black fur leggings with ties up the outside of her legs.  Her usual short sleeveless black dress no longer enough in the pre-winter weather.  Soon she would have to wear the leggings all the time and change into a sleeved dress just to keep warm.  

Leaving the room she walked back over to her things picking up the arrows and putting them in a quiver she had leaning against the wall.  She hooked the trowel and the bag to her belt and slung the quiver over her shoulder, before stringing the bow.  Which she then put over her shoulder as well.  Thus prepared she exited the cave carefully picking her way down the cliff.  Upon reaching the bottom she headed into the lush forest to scrounge what she could.  

***Meanwhile***

In the afore mentioned caves that were the valley's entrance, a small party traveled.  A mix matched trio indeed.  Two humans and a hanyou.  

"Inuyasha are you sure this is the right way?  I think we've been to this cave before," said a pretty girl with long dark brown hair, and brown eyes with pink eye shadow.  She had on a tight black battle suit with red metal plates for protection on her knees and elbows, and huge boomerang strapped across her back.  Without looking backwards she added, "Don't even think about it monk," in an annoyed voice.  

The tall man behind her froze his hand inches from touching her butt.  He hesitated before moving his hand away, a glance at the huge boomerang making his decision.  A frown crossed his handsome face as he realized that he wasn't even allowed to think about it.  Then suddenly he smiled flirtatiously his doubly pierced ear making it look even more reckless.  He jogged forward catching up with her, his loose purple and black jacket flapping behind showing his black battle suit, a monk staff was tucked under his arm.  He had black hair in a short ponytail and bright violet eyes which were dancing with humor.  

"Why my lovely Sango, what were you talking about?  I wasn't doing anything."  "Houshi, shut up while you have the chance.  You know exactly what I was talking about."  "But Sango…"  "Miroku, do you NEVER give up," interrupted an annoyed Inuyasha.  A tall hanyou with long silver hair that came down to mid back, golden eyes, and small dog ears atop his head.  He was wearing a tight battle suit like Miroku, with a jacket matching Miroku's, the only difference that Miroku's jacket was purple and black, while Inuyasha's was red and black.  He also had a sword strapped around his waist.  

"Never," Miroku smiled at Sango charmingly, making her blush slightly.  Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Well can you save it for later, I've got a headache from thousand times in the last hour that Sango has hit you with her boomerang and yelled hentai.  If you guys keep this up you'll alert the guardian about our presence before we even reach the valley."  

Miroku looked at him with a frown, "Tell us again why you're so certain there is a valley at the other end of this maze?"  Inuyasha sighed with the look on his face of one in long suffering.  "My father years ago came through these caves to a valley beyond, then traveled back through them.  He told me all about it often in the short time before he died." 

Sango looked at him a frown appearing on her face, "You guys know what, we don't have a plan of action.  All we have is that we're going after the jewel, which has a guardian we know almost nothing about.  Unless, do you know something Inuyasha?" 

 A hesitant look crossed Inuyasha's face as he thought about what he knew, finally he spoke, "Not much, I do remember him saying it was a girl about 15 or 16 years old, with long black hair and blue eyes.  Supposedly very beautiful.  She's a powerful miko I guess, since she can shoot purifying arrows.  That's about it."  He looked at Miroku with a grimace.  

"Poor girl," whispered Sango, voicing what was going through his mind also.  Miroku busy trying to picture exactly what she looked like didn't even notice the drool hanging from his face for a few minutes, while the others looked away in disgust.  "Hey, why didn't you tell me I was drooling,"  he shouted when he realized it.  "Miroku, you were in your own private pervert world."  "Was NOT."  "Were too."  "Ok maybe I was, but you could have at least tried."  "Whatever monk."  They began walking away.  "Hey guys wait up!"

***Later***Much Later***

The trio emerged from the caves blinking in the bright sunlight after hours in the dark.  "See I told you my nose never lead wrong," crowed Inuyasha jumping in the air punching his fist into the air mid jump.  Miroku and Sango sweat dropped.  "Now we just have to find the guardian and get the jewel," he said excitedly.  

Sango frowned, he had to be joking, there was no way they could beat the guardian without a plan.  So ignoring Inuyasha she sent Miroku to get wood while she set about making camp in a nearby clearing.  The sixteen year old girl was trained to fight and kill youkai, she was a feared demon exterminator, but working with perverts and…err…Inuyasha, was exhausting and not something she was prepared for.  All she wanted at the moment was to rest from their journey, for which Inuyasha had set a very quick pace.  

Fighting the guardian was not high on her list of things to do at the moment.  A girl, Inuyasha had said the guardian was a human girl.  How were they supposed to fight and kill another human being.  Deep in thought Sango stood up walking slowly from the campsite.  The guys looked up from the fire they had started, curious, then deciding they didn't care turned back to making lunch.  

Walking slowly through the valley's thick forests, ignoring the dirt she collected amazed at the beauty around her, she made her was towards the faint sound of waves on a shore she could hear in the distance.  Pushing aside vines and ducking under low branches she made her way towards the sound.  As she pushed aside a heavy curtain of vines she came to a halt staring at the lake before her.  Surprise and delight crossed her face as she looked out across the water.  A mist hung over it despite the hot noon sun, sparkling in the light.  

"It's beautiful," she whispered to herself, the tree's and bushes surrounding it were dark and mysterious compared to the clear bright water and sparkling mist.  Suddenly behind her a soft voice spoke, "You should see it at night."  Spinning quickly Sango stared at the girl sitting in a tree behind her.  

She was quietly gazing out across the lake. When she spoke again it was in the same soft voice, "When the moonlight makes the water shimmer, and reflect the world around it.  The water extends into little hidden coves, and pools outside of the lakes boundries, that are almost as beautiful as the lake itself."  The girl regarded her with narrow blue eyes, sad in her lovely face.  "It'll be a shame to have to kill you.  Your so young, and the first to see the valley's beauty and not just focus on getting the Shikon no Tama."  Smiling slightly she added, "Your antics earlier in the caves were quite amusing."  Sango looked at her disbelief written openly on her face, "Wha…what but wouldn't Inuyasha have smelled you nearby?"  "Do you mean the hanyou?  No, I can hide my scent if I wish to."  She looked at Sango quietly for a minute.  "I think I'll let you live for a little longer," adding as an afterthought, "My names Kagome."  With that she disappeared jumping out of the tree.  Sango stared at the spot she had been in for a minute before whispering after her, "Goodbye I guess."  With a last long look at the lake she turned and made her way back to camp slowly retracing her steps.  

Inuyasha looked up at Sango as she entered the clearing.  Miroku noticing where he was looking and smiled at Sango gesturing for her to join them, asking her curiously what she had seen of the land around them, questions which she answered carefully.  Inuyasha had a puzzled look on his face.  Something wasn't right.  Sango smelled differently, she smelled faintly of something foreign to him entirely.  

Then it hit him.  This was the guardian's scent, his father had smelled like this faintly too when he'd finally returned home.  He raised his head testing the nearby air currents.  Suddenly he stood up quickly, moving so fast he was a blur he launched himself into the trees on one side of the clearing.  

His hand reached out grabbing on to something, causing a cry of pain as his claws broke skin.  Sango and Miroku grimaced understanding how much that had to have hurt.  Inuyasha's face showed surprise as he pulled the figure into the light of the clearing.  "Kikyou?"

**Well that's it for this chapter.  Hope you liked it.  Please review.  Though I don't mind if you don't, I normally don't!  ^o^**


	2. Chapter 2 Revelations

_Hey, I'm back with the second chapter.  Those of you who reviewed are so sweet, and you have my apology for not updating at a quicker pace, but that's because I reached a block on this story.  So…  Oh well it can't be helped.  Anyway, I have no idea when chapter 3 will be out, though I'm going to try to make it soon.    Here's the chapter, enjoy.  And by the way, this one's for you Melissa King.  ^o^ _

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**disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. *tear*  I wish I did.  But I don't though, Rumiko Takahashi does, he's all hers.  *tear*  *sob*  *smile*  Oh well at least he's in good hands.  We can't always get what we want******

Guardian Princess By Forbidden Elf 

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Chapter 2: Revelations 

The grip of his finger's on her upper arm tightened, causing blood to well to the surface.  "Kikyou, what are you doing here?"  His voice was soft, but full of menace.  The blood drained from her face, and her eye's took on the glint of fear.  "I'm here to help," she said quietly.  "We told you that you couldn't come on this mission," he stated harshly.  

Releasing her with a careless flick of his wrist, Inuyasha turned and walked back to the fire taking a seat again.  With a glance at each other Sango and Miroku also resumed their seats, which they'd left when Inuyasha had pulled the figure into view.

Sango leaned forward, head on her hands, staring at the ground.  Miroku looked from Kikyou to Inuyasha, then back again, before settling on Sango as the object of his gaze.  With a heavy sigh Sango sat up, and said calmly, "I guess we are stuck with her for now."   

"This ought to be fun especially after last time," murmured Miroku.  His mouth closing with a click at the glare Kikyou managed to send his way.  Rolling her eye's Sango continued, "Now then all we need to do is come up with a course of action."  Inuyasha looked up from the fire stating bluntly, "Find, capture, question, kill, retrieve.  What's so difficult about that."  

Sango sighed, "And if that doesn't work, the Guardian's famous for being deadly, having killed men at least twice her size."  She paused as if debating if she should keep going, "Your father is the only one ever to survive, and even then, I think he only survived because she didn't want to kill him."  

Miroku sighed getting comfortable, leaning back on his bed roll.  Kikyou sat there her face smooth and calm.  As she watched Inuyasha after Sango's speech.  Thus she saw when his eye's narrowed.  But as he opened his mouth to reply she said softly, "I must agree with Sango, it sounds like there's another part to the story.  Truly the Guardian's always portrayed as being deadly and to be able to just get away like that…"  

She flushed when they all stared at her.  Miroku, deciding that that had gone on long enough cleared his throat, saying "I'm sorry Inuyasha but they're right.  That plan doesn't have the greatest likely hood of working.  We need to think about something that has a higher chance of succeeding."

Inuyasha was frowning but conceded saying, "Feh, whatever."  His arms crossed over his chest he leaned against the bags stacked behind him.   

Sango shook her head whispering quietly to herself, "If your listening up there help us, I doubt Kagome will give up the jewel without a fight."

His golden eye's widened, sitting up and turning to Sango, Inuyasha asked confused, "What did you say?"  She sat up straighter in alarm.  Shifting her weight nervously under all three's gaze and flushed with worry, she quickly replied, "Nothing, nothing at all."

"I heard you, whose Kagome.  And why would she have a jewe…l."  As Inuyasha said it aloud it dawned on him.  "The Guardian, that's  who Kagome is, isn't it."  Sango just looked away, not responding.

Miroku, scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.  Wondering aloud he said, "You must have met her when you took that walk, you didn't know her before.  So, that was the only chance.  Since she supposedly she never leaves the valley."

"No I don't."  Rang a voice from outside the circle, They all turned quickly to face in the direction the voice seemed to come from.  The forest suddenly seemed unnaturally loud, as their senses went on high alert.  

Then Inuyasha's senses picked up the sound of movement in the tree tops, and he shifted his gaze there.  While at the same time rose to his feet.  "Don't bother hanyou, I'm coming down," came the voice again, though seemingly from a different direction.  It had a humored lilt to it, as if she thought something was funny.  

A growl rumbled in his throat when all at once he could make out her scent.  Which previously he couldn't sense, but now realized lay thick all around them.  Soon after a gentle rustling reached his ears which swiveled on his head to face the sound, before the rest of his body followed suit.  

From the underbrush stepped a young girl, her lithe body, moving with a deadly grace.  Her long ebony hair was twisted into a complex braid that fell past her waist.  She had a small heart shaped face with large almond shaped eye's and a full mouth.  The darkness cast her face into shadow, hiding her other features, though despite the lack of light her cobalt eye's seemed to glow.  

As she walked towards them her lips twisted into a graceful smile.  "You know Sango, I appreciate how famous I seem to be, but I could hardly have killed everybody that's ever entered the valley, now could I.  If I had how would anybody have ever heard of me in the first place."  She came to a halt next to Sango.  "Of course that was only in the beginning that they got away."  

She sat down gracefully, staring at the fire face solemn.  Without looking up she said, "You can sit down hanyou."  His eye's narrowed as he slowly sat back down, his finger's hovering over his swords hilt.  Though his golden eye's had started to burn, reflecting his thoughts.  

"Relax, I'm not a threat to you at the moment.  I told Sango I wouldn't kill you because you're amusing."  "And what makes you think I was worried for my life?" he demanded, his voice angry.  She smiled again, "Especially you Miroku, that's your name right?" She asked ignoring Inuyasha.  

Miroku, who'd been staring at her openly, jumped upon hearing his name and said smoothly, "Yes, it is fair lady.  And may one so lowly as myself beg the honor of knowing yours."  Kikyou, and Inuyasha gaped at him, and how he managed to say that with a straight face, while Sango just silently took Hiraikotsu and hit him over the head.  "God Miroku, your such an idiot," shouted Inuyasha, making Miroku flinch clutching his head even tighter.  Stifling a laugh, she said, "My name's Kagome, though you already know that."  

Sango smiled sheepishly saying, "You didn't say I couldn't tell, though it was an accident when I said it."  And looked like she was going to say more when, suddenly Kikyou stood up.  Walking around the fire to stand beside Kagome.  To the other's surprise, and not worrying about dirt getting on her white battle suit, she dropped to her knee's and reaching out grasped the silver amulet that hung around Kagome's neck.  

Silently she stared at it one finger tracing the design.  Before her face alight with wonder, she looked up, "Your Kagome," she whispered.  "Well thanks for stating the obvious," said Inuyasha scathingly.  "Shut up," said Sango staring at Kikyou waiting for her to continue.  

"The Kagome, the daughter of Emperor Hiei and his wife Sakura Higurashi."  Slowly Kagome nodded her head, "Yes."  Kikyou smiled, "Amazing, you're the lost princess, or rather that's what history calls you."  "How did you realize…"  Kikyou grinned proud of herself, "Before I entered training to be a priestess, I  worked in the palace library, and their I read a book all about you, as well as you family history. Inside it showed the family insignia, the mystery of the lost princess was always my favorite, so I remembered the crest."  

She paused thinking before adding, "You are aware that your entire family line has died out, except obviously for you.  A new family has taken power over the last several hundred years."  

Kagome smiled sadly, "I knew it would, I was shown a glimpse of the future, and all that would occur of great importance over the period of time I would be…waiting.  I saw the empire fall in that horrible massacre and the Yoshida's gain power years after."  

She glanced at Inuyasha for a moment, who was leaning back against the tree all but asleep, before retuning her gaze to Kikyou who was still sitting on the ground next to her.  "I even saw long before then, the murder of my twin sister, Kikyou, whom I believe you are named after."  Kikyou nodded slowly, "Yes, I'm named after her." 

"Do you have any idea how important you are," murmured Sango, "Your entire family is gone, and as the soul survivor your life is one of the most precious, of nearly us all."  

Miroku also stood up moving towards Kagome, a mischievous grin crossed his face before being replaced with a self sacrificing expression.  "Lady Kagome, having considered the facts, I do believe you need to continue you blood line and thus, I offer my services in that process."    Kagome stared at him for a moment before laughing.  "What?' he asked, "I was serious!"  "Miroku just shut up," growled Inuyasha.  "Move Houshi,"  commanded Sango pointing to his vacated seat on the other side of the fire, by Inuyasha.

"Anyway," said Sango, "It's quite incredible to actually know that one of history's most famous mysteries is answered by a famous legend."  Kikyou and Miroku, nodded in agreement.  Miroku, though had edged slowly around the fire and was sitting next to Sango.  Though not for long when she hit him, screaming, "Hentai!" at the top of her lungs.  Affectively knocking him out.

"Okay I'm tired of this, you two are both crazy, you know every single person who carried Higurashi blood was killed by that warlord Naraku.  So she can't be the Kagome Higurashi."  Said Inuyasha loudly when things had calmed down.  "Actually, Naraku, couldn't have killed all of Higurashi blood," commented Kagome, "Especially seeing how I'm still here and the fact that he didn't kill himself did he?"  "What!?"  Exclaimed all four listener's.

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**Well, I guess that's not really a cliff hanger, hmm…oh well, I hate those anyway.  I bet you thought Inuyasha had caught Kagome at first.  That would have been just too predictable.  If you don't like Kikyou, I'm sorry, but I'm not so mean as to bash someone.  Anyways I doubt she's really that bad, I mean, all she has for a soul is hate and revenge, that can't give you a very good outlook on life.  Don't you think?  Any way's she's not going to be a bad person.  Check out my other stories if you would, I'd appreciate it.  I think that's it so talk to you with the next chapter.**

**                                      Forbidden Elf**


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